MLB Player News
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Aaron Ashby SP | MIL
Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Makes spring debut
Ashby tossed two scoreless innings in Thursday's spring game against the Rangers. He allowed three hits, walked one batter and struck out none.
Ashby was not particularly sharp in his spring debut, but he was able to keep the opponent off the scoreboard. He started Thursday's contest and per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com has not officially been ruled out of the rotation mix, but the southpaw has started only three games over the last two seasons, so he will likely remain in the bullpen. If Ashby does make any starts during the regular season it will likely be as an opener -- something he did three times last postseason.
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Eduardo Rodriguez SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Eduardo Rodriguez: Builds off strong finish in 2025
Rodriguez allowed three hits over two scoreless innings in Thursday's spring start against the Royals.
Rodriguez averaged 93.1 mph on his four-seamer during his Cactus League debut, a tick above the 92 mph he averaged last season. The left-hander threw 31 pitches (20 strikes). Lost amid Rodriguez's 5.02 ERA last season is that he finished 2025 in much better form, posting a 6-3 record with a 4.01 ERA following the All-Star break.
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Tyler Glasnow SP | LAD
Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow: Smooth in Cactus League debut
Glasnow tossed two-plus innings against the White Sox in a Cactus League contest Thursday, allowing one run on one hit and no walks while striking out four batters.
Glasnow carved up Chicago in the first inning, striking out the side on 14 pitches. He retired the side in order again in the second, and then allowed a single to the only batter he faced in the third, with that runner coming around to score following Glasnow's departure. Overall, the right-hander threw 22 of 32 pitches for strikes, got six whiffs and averaged 96.7 mph on his fastball. Glasnow is a key part of the Dodgers' impressive rotation and figures to be a big asset in fantasy if he can stay healthy.
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Taijuan Walker SP | PHI
Phillies' Taijuan Walker: Set for starting role to begin year
Walker allowed one run on three hits in two innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals. He struck out one.
The 33-year-old right-hander is preparing to begin the season as Philadelphia's No. 5 starter, with Zack Wheeler (shoulder) expected to begin the year on the injured list. Whether or not Walker holds onto a spot in the rotation once Wheeler is ready to pitch remains a question mark -- top prospect Andrew Painter poses a significant threat to Walker's role in 2026. That said, Walker should be able to offer a bit of streaming appeal in deep fantasy leagues in favorable matchups for as long he sticks around in the rotation.
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Matthew Boyd SP | CHC
Cubs' Matthew Boyd: Tosses three scoreless frames
Boyd didn't allow a baserunner over three scoreless innings during Thursday's Cactus League game against the Angels. He struck out three.
Making his second start of the spring, Boyd looked sharp as he kept Los Angeles off the bases for three innings. The veteran lefty now has seven strikeouts across 4.2 Cactus League innings. Boyd's K/9 dropped to 7.7 last year, his lowest rate since 2021, and he's unlikely to see any dramatic upticks at this point in his career. However, even modest gains in the strikeout department would boost the southpaw's fantasy stock in 2026. Outside of the drop in strikeouts, Boyd was excellent for the Cubs in 2025, recording a 3.21 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 179.2 regular-season innings.
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Joe Musgrove SP | SD
Padres' Joe Musgrove: Sharp in simulated game
Musgrove (elbow) touched 95 mph with his fastball in a three-inning simulated game Thursday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Musgrove threw 36 pitches in the outing and was pleased with how things went, saying afterward that, "I'm coming out of this feeling the best I have felt." The veteran righty said that things are "kind of all day-to-day" with his rehab based on how he feels, but he expects to make his first Cactus League start next week. Musgrove missed all of the 2025 season but will not have a strict workload limit in 2026, with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla saying their approach with the 33-year-old is, "full-go but watch him."
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Brandon Pfaadt SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt: Coming back from side issue
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Pfaadt is being "slow-played" during spring training because of a side issue that popped up over the offseason, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Pfaadt is pitching in a backfield game Thursday and Lovullo indicated that the injury is unlikely to prevent the right-hander from being ready for the start of the season. That's if Pfaadt is able to avoid a setback, of course. The right-hander is coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw him collect a 5.25 ERA over 33 starts, but his rotation spot should be secure as long as he's healthy.
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Merrill Kelly SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly: Has chance to avoid injured list
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Kelly (back) could avoid the injured list and make a start in the second series of the season if he's able to ramp up his throwing "sooner than later," Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
It still seems more likely than not that Kelly requires a stint on the IL, as the Diamondbacks won't risk pushing the veteran hurler too hard just to get him back a handful of days sooner. However, even if the best-case scenario for Kelly's rehab doesn't come to fruition, his absence probably won't be long-term. Kelly has yet to pitch in a game this spring due to intercostal nerve irritation.
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Cristian Mena SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Cristian Mena: Suffers setback
Manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Mena has been shut down from throwing after aggravating his strained right shoulder, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Lovullo added that there aren't any plans in place for Mena to undergo surgery to address the issue, and the team will attempt to slowly build him back after a period of rest. The 23-year-old righty has been sidelined since he initially strained his teres major in June, and it's unknown whether his latest setback will force him to begin the regular season on the injured list.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Throws bullpen session Thursday
Wheeler (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Thursday, John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Wheeler began throwing on flat ground in early December, but this is the first time he's thrown from the bump since he had surgery last September to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome. The veteran right-hander is not expected to be ready for Opening Day, but the hope is that his stay on the 15-day injured list will be a brief one. Wheeler -- who turns 36 in late May -- posted a 2.71 ERA and 195:33 K:BB over 149.2 regular-season innings covering 24 starts in 2025 before getting hurt.